False Statement about the outcome of First Group Fatigue Audit IA 1778 - made by TfL’s MD for Surface Transport to 26 June 2017 SSHR Panel

Caroline Pidgeon: Further to your response to 2019/19602, and taking into account your response to 2018/2612 where you identified the then Managing Director of Surface Transport as being responsible for Transport for London's engagement with the RAIB, ORR, BTP, SNC-Lavalin and the Coroner, why was there no investigation into a seemingly materially false comment he made to the TfL Safety, Sustainability and HR Panel on 26 June 2017 which was reported by the press, such as the Croydon Advertiser: https://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/news/croydon-news/tfl-boss-says-operator-enough-531648?

The Mayor: TfL’s approved minutes of the Safety, Sustainability and HR Panel on 27 June 2017 included a post meeting note. This note made clear that the audit had been concluded as Requires Improvement and that there were a number of improvements that could be made by implementing ORR Good Practice.
As stated in my response to Mayor’s Question 2019/19602, I am not aware of any investigation into comments made on the outcome of the audit, but I am satisfied that the post-meeting note made the conclusion clear.

Work of the joint inspection team

Andrew Dismore: Please report on the work of the tall buildings joint inspection team in London and LFB’s involvement in this.

The Mayor: As of December 2019, the Joint Inspection Team has carried out five full housing health and safety rating system inspections in residential buildings over 18m with unsafe ACM cladding. Two out of the five inspections were carried out in London. London Fire Brigade fire safety staff are ready to support and respond to the work of the team.

TfL Track Grinding Work in 2019

Jennette Arnold: Please provide details of all track grinding work undertaken by TfL during 2019. Please include details of date, location and length of track worked on for each date.

The Mayor: Rail grinding is predominantly used to maximise rail life and reduce the risk of rail defects. In 2019 Transport for London (TfL) carried out a targeted programme of rail grinding at key sites which, at many locations, has led to a reduction in both in-carriage and residential noise.
Please find in the attached spreadsheet details of all track grinding work carried out by TfL in 2019.

Bishopsford Road Bridge

Leonie Cooper: How are you making local residents aware of the new 718 bus route they can use while the Bishopsford Road Bridge over the Wandle remains inaccessible, and what has the take up of this new route been since its introduction?

The Mayor: I am pleased that Transport for London (TfL) has been able to introduce the new 718 route. This service has reconnected those who lost their link between Wandle Road and Morden station when the 118 was diverted as a result of the Bishopsford Road bridge works.
To publicise its introduction, TfL carried out all of its normal publicity for new routes including emails to over 40,000 customers in the local area, advanced publicity posters at all affected bus stops on the route and updated bus maps.
As the new route was only introduced at the end of November, TfL does not hold any data on the number of customers using the route at present but will continue to monitor passenger numbers over the coming months.

Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Delivery Plan

Leonie Cooper: How many charging points do you aim to install under the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Delivery Plan? Please break this down by date of delivery and type of charger (e.g. residential, business charging hub).

The Mayor: My Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure Delivery Plan recognises that infrastructure can be a barrier, be it real or perceived, to the switch to EVs. It aims to set the direction and provide the necessary tools and information to encourage investment from the private sector to meet the scale of infrastructure we expect to need in London.
The Delivery Plan shows the delivery schedule in London is currently on track, but more ambitious action will be required by the private and public sector in the coming years. By 2025, with EV uptake in line with my Transport Strategy and my 1.5C climate change plan, there may be a requirement for between 2,300 to 4,100 rapid and 33,700 to 47,500 slow to fast charge points. These are not targets but estimates endorsed by the Taskforce based on the relationship between the preferred way in which people will charge their vehicles (e.g overnight or rapid) and the potential number of electric vehicles on London’s streets.

Communication about Fatigue Management between TfL and First Group TOL

Keith Prince: When will TfL provide me with the response you promised it would send to me in your 22 October Response to Question 2019/19750?

The Mayor: I understand Transport for London provided you with a response to Mayor’s Question 2019/19750 on 28 January 2020.

TfL Business Plans

Keith Prince: Your predecessors both had rolling 10-year TfL Business Plans that made clear how they intended to prioritise and timetable investment. Why is your Business Plan a more short-term 5-year one?

The Mayor: Of the Business Plans published under my predecessors going back to 2004, the longest was 9-years which covered plan years 2009/10 to 2017/18, which aligned to the period of the funding agreement from Government at that time.
Transport for London’s (TfL’s) Capital Strategy sets out the longer term investment plans and requirements, giving clear sight of the investment needed to renew and improve the transport network to support the growth of London over the next twenty-years.
TfL’s most recent Business Plan has been produced with no long-term certainty around its government funding. It receives no direct central government grant to support its operating costs, no certainty of funding beyond 2021, and its borrowing is constrained. This financial context is fundamentally different to that of any previous plan and makes developing even a 5-year Business Plan challenging.
TfL updates its Business Plan every year to ensure it has the agility to respond to emerging financial circumstances. December 2019’s Business Plan responds to the revenue impact of Crossrail Limited’s announcement that the opening of the central section of the Elizabeth line will not occur in 2020, the lack of long-term government funding certainty and wider macroeconomic factors which affect public transport use.

TfL power (1)

Leonie Cooper: Please provide an update on the installation of solar panels and energy efficient lighting at the Croydon Tramlink depot.

The Mayor: I have an ambitious aim to make London a zero-carbon city, and am taking action under my powers to increase the level of solar energy technologies installed in London. The Greater London Authority is leading by example by maximising these technologies on its buildings and land.
As part of my Solar Action Plan for London and my Retrofit Accelerator – Workplaces programme ), Transport for London is currently progressing with work to install solar panels on the roof and energy-efficient lighting in the workshop of the London Trams Depot in Croydon. It expects installation to complete in June 2020, once plans have been finalised with its contractor.

River Roding Trust and TfL

Unmesh Desai: The River Roding Trust are hoping to clear and restore the river pathway between Barking and Ilford. What support can you offer the Trust in this undertaking?

The Mayor: I fully support the hard work the River Roding Trust does for the community, particularly where this makes it easier for people to walk and cycle. This work will provide a welcome complement to TfL’s significant investment in walking and cycling in the area.
I have asked Transport for London to contact the Environment teams in the local authorities the River Roding runs through; namely Epping Forest, Redbridge, Newham and Barking and Dagenham. They will ask them to make contact with the Trust to offer assistance on any restoration works that they can support.

Potholes (TfL)

Navin Shah: Blackpool Council has saved £1m and filled in more than 5,000 potholes by usingartificial intelligencetechnology to detect road damage. What plans if any does TfL have to use similar technology in London?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has been carrying out early-stage trials of systems that adopt artificial intelligence techniques to assess carriageway condition and identify defects such as potholes. Once the trial has been completed, TfL will determine a solution that best meets its requirements.
TfL has had a robust inspection process in place under the London Highways Alliance Contract (LoHAC) for identifying defects on its network. These are undertaken by safety inspectors, each independently certified for the role.
Transport for London (TfL) identified and fixed 16,289 potholes between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2019. These were found through regular inspections and reports from customers.